For Royal & The Serpent, this summer marks a first in more ways than one. Not only is she set to take the stage at the Vans Warped Tour’s 30th anniversary, kicking off in DC in June, but it’ll also be her first time attending the iconic festival at all.
“I’ve never been to a Warped Tour before, so this is the first time I’ve ever been to one, so I’m excited to just walk around and experience it,” she revealed during her appearance on idobi Warped Radio. “I heard about it as a kid, and I never got the opportunity to go, so I’m excited to just be there.”
That long-awaited moment is finally arriving—and this time, she’ll be stepping out not just as a fan, but as one of the most anticipated performers on the lineup. With a batch of new music scheduled to release ahead of her Warped appearance, the tour also doubles as the kickoff to her 2025 live shows. “It’ll be the first shows that I’m playing this year, so I can’t wait to play new music because I haven’t played any of the new music yet,” she adds. “By the time these shows roll around, a lot of it will be out, so I’m really really excited for these to be the first shows for me of the year.”
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Looking back, she says a younger version of herself would have loved to see My Chemical Romance, Paramore, and even Katy Perry—whose own Warped debut once challenged the notion of who belonged at the festival. Royal, too, is carving out space for alt-pop at Warped. She also shares the niche brand that she wishes she could have picked up at the festival. “I have to say the thing that, as a kid, I wanted so badly to go for it was Jac Vanek’s Bracelets. I just wanted every bracelet she was selling, and they would sell out online. And I knew she was selling them at Warped Tour, and I wanted them so bad.”
This year, Royal & The Serpent is finally getting her Warped moment—and making it one to remember. Listen to Royal on idobi Warped Radio here.
